Project Quilting 13.4 Diamonds

 Project Quilting is hosted by Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams. In this week's challenge, we were to use Diamonds. We could combine triangles, or split rectangles. It didn't need to be literal, we just need to explain our use of diamonds.

I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach this challenge, I was limited by time constraints as it was a busy week dealing with a family member. All is well, just real-life stuff happening.

Feeling inspired I fired up EQ8 and started playing with triangles and squares, what evolved was a paper pieced pattern. Not the best idea when I didn't have a lot of time. But I like a challenge and this was a challenge.

two of the four blocks needed

Not looking much like diamonds, except the corners do have a diamond shape. Right? Loving the green, which may have something to do with it being my favourite colour.

ready to add a couple borders too

diamonds quilted in the centre pieces

I quilted diamonds in the centres, this is a take on an Angela Walters design. I also quilted diamond shapes in the four corners.

diamond corners with diamonds quilted in them 

Of course, when one is pressed for time, it seems everything that can go wrong does.

oops, ripping time here I come

And it didn't stop there. When trimming the sides after I was done free motion quilting it, my ruler slipped and I cut more off the sides than I really wanted to.

then there was a game of binding chicken, I won

Whew! I made it

I like the star in the design. I think I accomplished the challenge.

Tickled Pink Blog Hop

 Today is the final day of the Tickled Pink Blog Hop! It is being hosted by Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks.  

It seems I have been bringing up the rear lately on these hops, I think they are leaving the best to the last. At least that is my opinion!

We were to create something with pink in it, with five granddaughters I may have a fair amount of pink.

Bird in the Air blocks centre

I pulled a couple Bird in the Air blocks out of my orphan block draw, sewed them together, and added a fabric square to each side.

quilt as you go

I decided to do a quilt-as-you-go method for my project. 

A variety of pink strips for the top

The above piece is 15'' x 15''. Looks okay, but I think it could use a little something more.

that's better

A little applique and I think the front of my project is done. Now on to the back I pulled a piece of fabric from my stash, no idea how old it is. My guess would be early 90's?

simple diagonal line quilting

I made a quilt sandwich of batting and the fabric, both sides of the sandwich use the same print.

I made this piece 15'' x 17''.

the back in the freshly fallen snow

By now I'm sure you're wondering what did she make. 

Tada! A project bag

I made a fully lined zippered project bag. The bag finished at 14 1/2'' x 14 1/2''. Now the next question is what will I be putting in it, at this point no idea. Maybe I will list it in my Etsy Store, StitchinatHome.

Let's see what my fellow bloggers have made, today's list is below.

Thursday, February 17th

Creatin' in the Sticks

Beaquilter

Stitchin at Home that's me

Happy Cottage Quilter

Patchouli Moon Studio

Words & Stitches

Inflorescence

Quilted Delights 

Project Quilting 13.3 Kitchen Influence

 Project Quilting is hosted by Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams. In this week's challenge, we were to use food and cooking as our inspiration. We could use food-printed novelty fabric, a functional kitchen item you get the idea.

My project uses a novelty print and a functional kitchen item. I decided to make a set of finger mitts. I googled and went done the Pinterest rabbit hole. In the end, I drew my own template. 

layering main fabric, lining, and Insul fleece

I didn't have any Insul-bright and we were in the midst of a winter storm event, but I did have a piece of Insul fleece. I used two layers of the Insul fleece I think I would have been better off using two layers of cotton batting. But live and learn, in this case, make and learn. 

all layered and stay stitched on the edges

As you can see both my main fabric and lining are a food novelty print from Anna Griffin from 2013. I'm not sure why I had these two 1/3 yd pieces, but at least I finally found a use for a bit of them.

all done and functional

The next set I make, I am going to make them a little wider, and space the fingers and thumb part a little wider also. 

Now back to finishing up the shoveling!

Polar Bear Plunge Blog Hop

The "Polar Bear Plunge" blog hop, is hosted by Joan of MooseStash Quilting. We are to use bears, blue, or anything cold or chilly in our projects.

Living not far from Port Dover, I know what a 'Polar Bear Plunge' is. However, that doesn't mean I will be doing anything like that. I like being warm and cozy too much, to run into the icy cold waters of Lake Erie!

Who doesn't like polar bears though? That is the direction I took with this project.

threads I used for stitching down the applique

While doing a little cleaning I found a box of 100 wt Invisafil thread. I like how the thread blended into the applique and didn't take away from it. 

auditioning Aurifil thread for fmqing

I added a few little trees and of course my polar bear. I wish now that I would have used a different fabric to make him from, as I don't think he shows up as well as he could. I used the Crafted Applique method, by Lara for all the applique on this project.

some thread painting on the trees and bushes around the water

I free motion quilted swirls in the sky using Aurifil 4663 a variegated blue, 5007 for the water. For the trees, I used 2026 chalk, 5023 medium green, and the bushes were done with 5010 tan.  

I named this piece 'Serenity', the definition of serenity is being calm and peaceful, and that is what I feel when I look at this piece.

Take a little time and enjoy a cuppa tea as you check out what my fellow blogger's interpretation of a polar bear plunge is.

Monday Jan 24

Creatin' in the Sticks

Samelias Mum

Purring Cottage

Patchouli Moon Studio

Scrapdash

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Tuesday Jan 25

Just Let Me Quilt

Beaquilter

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

 Days Filled With Joy

That Fabric Feeling

Den syende Himmel

VroomansQuilts

Wednesday Jan 26

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Hazel’s Daughter 

Words & Stitches

Kathleen McMusing

Quilting & Learning - What a Combo!

Quilted Delights

Thursday Jan 27

Songbird Designs

Selena Quilts

Ms P Designs USA

Quilting Gail

Karrin's Crazy World

Food for Thought

Bumbleberry Stitches

Friday Jan 28

Sew Many Yarns

Inflorescence 

Lianne Makes Stuff

Stitchin at Home

Quilt Schmilt

Lynns Beauty

MooseStashQuilting

Project Quilting 13.2 In Silhouette 'Winter~ Spring'

I love these challenges from Project Quilting! They are hosted by Kim of  Persimon Dreams. This week’s challenge was to focus on contrast and design.

Some people enjoy a sense of joy on a snowy day, not I. All that shoveling especially when I got 29cm of the white stuff..yuck. While I was looking for inspiration I came across a quote by Hal Borland "No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." This brings me to my project for Project Quilting 13.2.

drawing of my design in Paint Shop Pro

First I drew an image in my graphics program Paint Shop Pro X9. I liked what I came up with, however cutting all those bits and pieces out was a little daunting. Not to mention that time was also a factor, one week doesn't allow for all that integrate cutting. I may have to invest in a cutting machine at some time in the future.

I had recently purchased some Transfer Artist Paper but hadn't tried it yet. It is transfer paper that you print on your printer (or you can even draw on it) then iron it onto fabric. It is less "plasticky" than other iron-on transfer products and can be used on many other materials besides fabric.

auditioning strips for the background fabric. Winter to the left and Spring colours to the right 

I printed it on the TAP and transferred it to my fabric following the directions included. I wasn't happy with just the printout, I wanted to add to it. I pulled some light scrap stripes and sewed them together. I pieced the TAP piece to the strips and still thought it needed more. But what? The challenge was a silhouette, so I thought, why not a silhouette of a tree?

this is taking shape, now to give it some life via free motion quilting

Next, I layered the top with Hobbs Thermore batting and a backing. I free-motion quilted through all of the layers. I used Aurifil #'s 2692, 2309, and5007. 

after some thread painting of the tree, I am happy with how this piece turned out

I'm looking forward to playing with TAP some more!

The pieces finished at 15 1/2'' x 10''.

Challenge 2 completed!

Project 13.1 'Colour Snippets'

 It's time for Project Quilting hosted by Kim of  Persimon Dreams. The first challenge is called 'All the Colours', we were to use at least 5 colours. At first, I wasn't sure what I was going to make. Then during the middle of a sleepless night inspiration struck of course that was Friday night. Could I do this in one day? Yup!

definitely at least 5 colours

I think I better clarify something, I do not keep pieces this small. What I did was I took small pieces of Steam a Seam Lite and adhered scraps to them then cut those up with scissors.

scraps adhered to small leftover pieces of Steam a seam 

I then dropped the small snippets of adhered fabric to piece of a white fabric scrap. I adhered them to the fabric following manufacture instructions. I then cut the piece below into 2 1/2'' squares.

scattered snippets, the background fabric I used looked like it had snippets of white already

Next, I pulled out some 2 1/2'' HST's from my collection of leftover HST's from various projects.

some of my leftover or bonus HST's

Before you get thinking boy, is she ever organized, to a small extent with these I am. However, I have lots that aren't trimmed and nice and neatly stored.  That's a distant future organization job.

Snippets of colour

Some quick FMQing of sort of concentric circles in the squares with the snippets and arcs in the HST's. I could have done a better job of the arcs in the border. But overall I am happy with how the piece turned out.

I treated myself to flowers on New Years Eve, they still look good

My flowers look good on this piece, it is 9'' x 12''. I used Hobbs Thermore batting which I like to use in table runners and wall hangings and Aurifil #2110 for the quilting. Challenge 1 finished.

Granddaughter Quilt 'Shining Star'

The gifting of the quilt I made for one of my 5 granddaughters is done. I can now show you her quilt.

Nevaeh is my youngest son's oldest daughter and is 13, she has been through two major surgeries in her life already. The first when she was only a month old and the second when she was six. She is doing fine and hopefully will stay that way. When I asked what colour to make her quilt, all I was told was black. I just couldn't make a completely black quilt and was totally lost as to how to proceed.

Northcott Kensington Park border print and Northcott Shimmer 

When I saw this border print from Northcott I fell in love with it and my hope was that Nevaeh would too.  It was now Nov 9th, approximately 6 weeks until Christmas, and no plan in sight. Time to open EQ8 and start designing. 

I also used Kona black. The centre block is 24'' by 24''. 

More playing with inset seams

As if I didn't get enough inset seams making the block for the Virtual Cookie Exchange project you can read more about that here, I made four of the above blocks, what was I thinking?

Dec 4th and a long way to go

Piecing this top was a priority, I wonder if the Elves feel like this at this time of year?

Dec 5th a completely pieced top, excuse the poor lighting 

A sense of relief, with a finished top, now on to the quilting and 20 days till Christmas, with no idea how I wanted to quilt it. I started by stitching in the ditch, and then I let the quilt start talking to me. 

I kept the centre fairly simple. I outlined the bird and added some gentle curves. Straight lines radiating out from the centre and more curves.

I wanted the stars to pop so I echoed each star and in the background, I quilted small loop de loops and stars.

The black side borders I quilted feathers and the border print got straight lines spaced at an inch and a half.

the quilt required two holder uppers and of course, the wind was blowing

Binding and quilting were finished on Dec 21st, after more than 45 hours of quilting all on my domestic machine. I was one happy grandma!!

the back shows the quilting. My daughter helped hold it up

The quilt finished at 100 inches long by 90 inches wide. I think she was happy with her quilt.